Annual Report - 1999
1999 saw the launch of the European Commission’s Review of EU telecoms market legislation. An outsider might find it strange to start a debate on the need to change laws that are little more than two years old. However, we should not forget that most of the Directives in the 1998 liberalisation package are explicitly designed as temporary measures which are needed only to facilitate the transition from monopoly markets to full competition.
1999 saw the launch of the European Commission’s Review of EU telecoms market legislation. An outsider might find it strange to start a debate on the need to change laws that are little more than two years old. However, we should not forget that most of the Directives in the 1998 liberalisation package are explicitly designed as temporary measures which are needed only to facilitate the transition from monopoly markets to full competition. Furthermore, many of the Directives include a formal requirement for the Commission to review their impact within two years of their entry into force, and to propose appropriate modifications.
It is clear that the Commission does not face an easy task. Telecoms markets and technologies are evolving at an extraordinary pace. But, given the length of EU decision-making procedures, the outcome of the 1999 Review will not be implemented until after the year 2002. The Review therefore needs to take a number of trends into consideration.
